Zilinski Memorial Fund Sponsors Two Service Dogs in
Latest K9s For Warriors Graduation Class in Florida
One of the Service Dogs Paired with a Disabled American Veteran from New Jersey
Ponte Vedra, Florida, February 26, 2020 – Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski, II Memorial Fund is proud to announce the graduation of two more of its sponsored service dogs. Duke, a black lab mix, and Aries, a German Shepard mix, both rescue dogs, graduated from a three-week training program along with their respective disabled American veterans Thursday at K9s For Warriors’ training facility in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
The cost of the service dogs’ training was funded by the Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski, II Memorial Fund in honor of Army Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski, II, a Middletown, New Jersey, resident and graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey, who was killed in action by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005. His parents, Marion and Dennis Zilinski, Co-Founders and Board Members of the Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski, II Memorial Fund, were on hand for the graduation ceremony.
Aries was paired with a disabled American veteran from New Jersey. The veteran’s name and hometown are not being released at this time.
“Supporting this great cause financially is very important to us at the Zilinski Memorial Fund. Our service members suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) need these highly trained service dogs to overcome their struggles. We want our disabled American veterans to know there is help, and we are here to help them get it,” said Marion Zilinski.
“Making the adjustment back to civilian life is difficult for many of our service members. The Zilinski Memorial Fund is proud to help them make that transition with the support they need. This program saves the lives of shelter dogs and the lives of our disabled American veterans,” said Dennis Zilinski.
“K9s For Warriors could not exist without the incredible generosity of our supporters, like the Zilinski Memorial Fund. They are literally helping us save the lives of our disabled American heroes, and for that, we are eternally grateful,” said Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s For Warriors.